Members of the Coquitlam Curling Association (CCA) are calling on the city to rethink a draft arena services strategy that would phase out curling at the Poirier Sport and Leisure Complex.
The document calls for centralizing curling in the Tri-Cities at the Port Moody facility in order to increase the ice surface capacity in Coquitlam for other sports, including hockey and figure skating.
Earlene Graham, the CCA president, said the plan is shortsighted and would create a burden for the hundreds of young people, adults and seniors who curl at the Coquitlam arena.
“I know we are going to get the short end of the stick,” she said. “If they put us down to Port Moody, it won’t be viable.”
The uncertainty around the future of curling in Coquitlam could not come at a worse time for the club, Graham said, as CCA is currently in the middle of its annual membership drive and some people have been reluctant to participate given that the club could be moving next year.
Graham acknowledges that overall membership numbers have declined over the last few years, which she blamed on a lack of support from the city. She said it is important the community ensures there are activities for people of all ages, particularly with the 55+ Games coming to town and a push to get seniors to be more active.
“I can teach a 70-year-old and have them curling on the ice for 20 years,” she said. “You can’t do that for a hockey player. You can’t do that for a figure skater. Somewhere, [the city] has lost the big picture.”
Coquitlam council was set to vote on the draft arena services strategy Tuesday but the matter was deferred to give the CCA more time to present its position. Graham said she will make the case for curling at Poirier at an upcoming council meeting.
The city’s plans first came to light in February, when staff said it was considering phasing out curling to maximize arena ice time.
Staff noted that low participation rates mean the sport is heavily subsidized by taxpayers, with a cost recovery for curling at 20% compared to 60% for other ice arena uses.
Michelle Hunt, the city’s parks and recreation planning and business services director, said there are currently 4.1 sheets of prime-time ice available but there is demand for 4.6. That gap is expected to widen by 2025, she added, increasing to between 5.2 and 5.6 ice sheets before tapering off to 4.7 to five in 2035.
The draft arena services strategy said that Port Moody’s curling club has the capacity to absorb the Coquitlam members.
“Port Moody Curling Club is currently experiencing issues with securing volunteers to operate the club and increased membership would help with club operations, junior programs and event,” said a staff report.
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